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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23744860">we will be (everything that we'd ever need)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gnarleyquinn/pseuds/gnarleyquinn'>gnarleyquinn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020), Harley Quinn (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Joker (DCU)'s Name is Jack, Pining, and ivy is SO gay, basically they're a bunch of rich kids in arizona, heavily inspired by the girls like girls mv</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:21:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,813</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23744860</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gnarleyquinn/pseuds/gnarleyquinn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“You know,” Ivy turns her head when Selina’s voice rings out, “I was a little surprised when she told me that they were dating.”</p><p>Ivy laughs half-heartedly at the sentiment, shifting her weight on the couch to face Selina.</p><p>“Yeah,” Ivy says. “Me too.” </p><p>or</p><p>the girls like girls harlivy au that nobody asked for</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Pamela Isley &amp; Harleen Quinzel, Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>328</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>we will be (everything that we'd ever need)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>cw for implied domestic violence and slight violence. </p><p>thank u to my wonderful betas m and b!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ivy’s eyes open almost instinctively as her phone buzzes beside her head. It’s dark in her room, the moonlight bouncing off of her mirror, hitting the beginnings of summer chaos that makes up the clothes covering her floor. She’d pick up the clothes in the morning, before her dad even had a chance to yell at her about it. Her phone buzzes again and she checks the time.</p><p>
  <em> 1 a.m. </em>
</p><p>It’s the same text she gets every night; <em> are you awake? </em> </p><p>Every night, Ivy makes a decision. Sometimes, she doesn’t answer, and sometimes she does. Some nights she’s fast asleep, dreaming about forgotten memories and dip-dyed hair, and some nights she forgets to put her phone on silent and wakes up to the gentle <em> ding </em>of her text tone. On the nights where she answers, she sometimes wishes she hadn’t. Tonight is one of those nights. </p><p>ivy (1:06 a.m.): <em> i am now </em></p><p>harley (1:06 a.m.): <em> sorry </em></p><p>harley (1:06 a.m.):<em> i have something to tell you </em></p><p>harley (1:07 a.m.): <em> can we meet up? </em></p><p>They’d stayed up late texting the night before, and a lack of sleep has Ivy’s head pounding harder than her heart at this point, but she can’t say no. Not to Harley, at least. </p><p>She slowly sits up in her bed and rubs the sleep out of her eyes, replacing the stars behind her lids with the ones outside her window. It’s the same routine since middle school. Ivy finds the nearest shorts and the softest sweatshirt and her torn up shoes. The soles barely deserve to be called soles with how worn they are, but your favorite sneakers are always the hardest to part with. She eyes the doodles on the treading that Harley made a few weeks prior. Can you feel nostalgia for something that happened in the same calendar year?</p><p>Ivy opens her window and silently removes the screen, slipping through the small opening and onto the roof. It takes her about ten minutes to walk to the train tracks. Normally, she’d take her bike, but she put it in the garage earlier that night, and she can’t risk waking her dad by opening the garage door. If that’s her only karmic punishment for sneaking out all the time, she’d have to take it. </p><p>She waits for Harley on the abandoned train car that sits off the side of the tracks, the rust and graffiti a stark comparison to the clear desert beyond. She prepares herself for the worst when Harley’s figure comes into sight, but as she comes closer Ivy realizes that there aren’t any tears this time. Harley looks..happy, maybe.</p><p>When Harley sits down next to her, it’s a little stiffer. Like she’s bracing for Ivy’s reaction. </p><p>“So.” Harley’s looking directly into Ivy’s eyes, it’s annoying how one set of eyes can demand so much of Ivy’s attention.</p><p>“I was hanging out with Jack today,” Harley starts.</p><p>Ivy gets a sinking feeling in her stomach. She pulls away from Harley a bit, and her arms go up in perfect timing with the nighttime breeze. Ivy stays silent as she waits for Harley to finish her sentence, although she’s not sure she wants to hear the next part at all. </p><p>“He asked me to be his girlfriend.”</p><p>On the inside, Ivy feels like maybe her world is falling apart a little bit. She averts her eyes across the tracks to terracotta roofs and low lit street lamps. It feels a little darker in the train car. </p><p>“What did you say?” Ivy looks back at Harley, trying to keep her expression neutral. Like her best friend that she cares about more than words can ever express isn’t choosing some <em>rich </em>kid with a shitty green haircut.</p><p>“I said yes.” </p><p>Ivy nods at the words as if she wasn’t expecting any other answer. <em> How could she, really? </em>She forces a smile that she hopes looks real enough.</p><p>“That’s great, Harls. I’m happy for you.” </p><p>Harley sighs and scoots closer to Ivy, and Ivy’s thigh burns as Harley rests a hand on it. She wants to shudder at the touch, tell Harley that they can’t sit close enough to share heartbeats if she’s going to choose <em>him</em>. She wants to, but she won’t. She could never hurt Harley like that. </p><p>“Are you sure? I know you guys have never gotten along.” </p><p>Ivy thinks Harley’s eyes look desperate for a second, like she wants Ivy to tell her that it’s a bad idea. That she should just rescind her <em>yes </em>and forget any of it ever happened. But then Ivy worries that maybe it’s fear of judgment from her best friend. Harley fearing her opinion is worse than any guy she could ever choose to be her boyfriend. </p><p>“If he’s who you want then I support you. Don’t ever twist it any other way.”</p><p>Harley laughs and smiles for the first time that night and Ivy knows she said the right words. Harley’s smile is worth a million of her own frowns. </p><p>It doesn’t stop the tears from hitting her pillow later that night.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>harley (11:23 a.m.): <em> lake? </em></p><p>harley (11:30 a.m.): <em> please?</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>-</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Ivy’s laying out in the sun as Harley and Jack play in the water. She can feel the sun on her skin as it beats down across the lake’s beach. It’s the hottest day of the summer so far, but for the desert, Ivy thinks it’s pretty cool. Her eyes are closed under her sunglasses, but she can hear Harley’s voice ring out from the water.</p><p>It was a little awkward when they first got there. She felt stupid rolling up on her bike right next to Jack’s <em> BMW </em> and she never really thought Jack liked her any more than she liked him, plus his stupid green hair never made it any better. But then they were setting up their spot and Jack tickled Harley, and when she laughs, everyone laughs. </p><p>Ivy has to admit that it’s kind of fun, just hanging with friends. But then that word is looming around in her head; <em> friends</em>, and the unsinkable feeling returns that she’ll never be anything more to Harley than a shoulder to cry on. And it’s not like that should matter—Ivy would move the moon if Harley asked her to—but with someone who means <em>more </em>to Harley, someone she has to love deeper, in the picture? Ivy feels like she’s grasping at the growing space between her and Harley. </p><p>She sits up as Harley lets out another shriek, and her sunglasses can’t protect her from witnessing Jack dip Harley into a kiss as if they’re in a Gatsby scene. Before she knows what she’s doing, her bag is packed and her skin feels tired in a way that can only mean she’s going to have a sunburn later.</p><p>Harley notices her from the water and runs up.</p><p>“You’re going so soon?”</p><p>For a second, Ivy lets herself believe that it’s disappointment washing over Harley’s face, and she almost wants to stay. Jack’s arm wrapping around Harley’s pinkened shoulders reminds her that she doesn’t get to have Harley missing her. Not while he’s around, at least.</p><p>“Yeah, I have some packing to do before I leave tomorrow.”</p><p>True.</p><p>“You’re going to that photography thing, right?” Jack pipes in and Ivy kind of feels bad that he’s actually been paying attention while she’s been doing nothing short of wishing that he’d become nonexistent. </p><p>“Not just a <em> photography thing</em>, Jack,” Harley playfully hits his side, and Ivy suddenly feels sheepish, “It’s like, the best camp on the West Coast. She had to submit a portfolio and everything.”</p><p>The look on Harley’s face discounts any previous feelings of unimportance from the day. Jack does seem increasingly less interested in the conversation but Ivy doesn’t care. Harley’s <em>proud </em>of her and she could ride that high for her entire trip. </p><p>“Yeah, well,” Ivy shrugs, not really sure how to take the praise, “I like to do it. I should really get going though.”</p><p>That same <em>thing </em>flashes through Harley’s eyes.</p><p>“Text me later?”</p><p>“I will.”</p><p>She does.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>harley (1:03 a.m.): <em> taking any cool pictures out there? </em></p><p>ivy (1:07 a.m.): <em> nothing that i can’t get at home </em></p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>It’s two weeks later until they hang out again. Ivy and Harley didn’t really have much time to text while she was away, the only knowledge of what her best friend’s been up to coming from throwaway snapchats and vague instagram stories. Jack was in all of them.</p><p>They’re hanging out at the pool at Harley’s house. It’s a really hot day, Ivy thinks it may even be hotter than the last time she said it was the hottest day of the summer, but the pool’s temperature is just right and her summer tan’s far enough along that she isn't worried about sunburn anymore. Her and Jack found some solidarity in making fun of Harley as she loaded up with <em> SPF 100 </em>even though they both told her a million times that it doesn’t work past 50. All Ivy could do was grin at Harley’s stubbornness. </p><p>She’s leaning off the edge of the pool, a towel under her arms to mask the heat of the pavement as her body floats in the water. Jack is laying out on a raft in the pool, but Harley is sitting in the lounge chairs in front of Ivy as a ridiculously large umbrella bounces the sun away from her. </p><p>Ivy’s been begging her to get in the pool, but Harley just re-dyed her hair, and “Nothing’s worse than pink and blue turning orange and green, Ives.”</p><p>“I just think that summer vacation is the perfect time to not worry about your hair being discolored, <em> Harls</em>.” Harley lightly snorts as she throws a frozen grape in Ivy’s direction. Ivy’s quick to react and catches it in her mouth. </p><p>“<em>Loser.” </em>Ivy teases, and Harley pegs another grape at her, but severely misses and bounces off of Jack’s raft before plopping into the water. Both Harley and Ivy stifle laughter as Jack doesn’t move an inch.</p><p>“Give me another.” Ivy whispers. She reaches her hand out and Harley drops a grape into Ivy’s open palm, an inquisitive look in her eye. “Act normal,” Ivy says. Harley makes a face but Ivy gestures for her to continue.</p><p>“So, I was texting Selina and she told me that she’d send her packet answers from last year’s art history summer work.” Harley starts, and Ivy quickly chucks a grape in Jack’s direction before turning around as if nothing had happened. Harley attempts to stifle a laugh as she watches Jack look around after it bounces off his shoulder, leaning back in her chair so she’s covered by the bush next to her. Ivy doesn’t dare to look back.</p><p>“What grade did she get on her packet, a <em> seventy</em>?” Ivy and Harley make eye contact as Harley can’t come up with a cohesive answer for her and Ivy has to bite her lip as she starts to chuckle as well.</p><p>“Something like that,” Harley says. Her smile is big, and it makes Ivy smile a little harder too. Suddenly Harley’s holding out another grape and Ivy shakes her head before snatching it.</p><p>“Anyway, I think Selina actually got an A in that class.”</p><p>“Oh yeah?” Ivy chucks the grape behind her, not even looking back this time but wishing she had as the sound of Jack shooting up on the raft meets Harley’s hand flying to her mouth. Harley hides behind the bush again as she points to her forehead, and Ivy ducks her head in the assumption that it means she got a bullseye on Jack’s face.</p><p>“Throw one more grape, Isley.”</p><p>Ivy turns around to Jack’s pissed off face and she struggles to keep her face straight as she responds. </p><p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Napier.” She feigns innocently.</p><p>Ivy’s expression must’ve been convincing enough because after a couple seconds of a cold, dead face-off Jack just huffs and lays back down on the raft. She turns back around to Harley <em>still </em>laughing.</p><p>Ivy flicks a bit of water at Harley. “If I go down you’re going down with me!”</p><p>Harley gets a mischievous glint in her eye and Ivy braces herself for a grape to the face until Harley chucks it over the hedge, and Ivy thinks these grapes must be Jack magnets when it hits him square in the face for a second time in a row.</p><p>They barely have time to smile before Jack’s sitting up on the raft again, and Ivy thinks that if a human could ever have steam coming out of their ears it’d be right now. He pegs the grape back in Ivy’s direction and she turns around to protect her own face, the fruit splattering across her back.</p><p>“Shit.” She half chuckles and half hisses, thinking that’s the end of it, but then Jack continues. </p><p>“Throw another one and I’ll shove it so far down your throat you’ll never want to touch a grape again you bitch,” Jack says with a stiff smile.</p><p>Ivy’s silent for a second because she thinks that maybe he’s just trying to be funny in his weird, Jack way. She waits for him to laugh, or allude to him not being totally serious, but his eyes are filled with a kind of rage that makes Ivy think it's not fake.</p><p>“Well damn, Jack.” She lets out an awkward laugh and prepares an apology, but Harley moves out from her corner and starts talking before she can get it out.</p><p>“Don’t talk to my friend that way.” </p><p>“You’re seriously picking a fight with me right now?” Jack rolls into the water and swims to the ledge, getting out of the pool in front of Harley. </p><p>“You called her a bitch,” She crosses her arms, “I don’t want you calling my friends <em> bitch</em>.”</p><p>Jack laughs through his nose, a grimace clear on his face and Ivy watches on, unsure if she should intervene.</p><p>“She was throwing fucking grapes at me!” His arm flies out pointing at Ivy.</p><p>“Okay? So that means you call her a bitch and tell her you’ll <em> shove </em> one down her <em> throat</em>?”</p><p>Ivy jumps out of the pool. “Harls, it’s really fine.”</p><p>Harley stares at Jack as she speaks. “No, it’s not.”</p><p>“Why the fuck are you taking her side?” He asks.</p><p>“I’m not taking anyone’s side, Jack. We were both throwing them, it was a <em> joke</em>.”</p><p>“What, so you think I’m a fucking joke now?”</p><p>“That’s not what she said-” Ivy tries to pipe in but Jack cuts her off. </p><p>“No one’s <em> talking </em>to you!”</p><p>Ivy’s a little stunned at Jack's outburst as he blows past the both of them, heading for the doors into Harley's house. He slams open the sliding doors and Harley chases after him, not shutting them in time for the screaming match to start. She can vaguely see two humans moving around the kitchen frantically with the shouts to follow, but she’s too far away to make out what’s happening throughout the kitchen windows.</p><p><em> Five minutes. </em>Five minutes and then she’ll go inside.</p><p>They barely make it to two before Jack’s storming back out the kitchen and through the side gate to leave. Ivy picks up her and Harley’s things and treads back into the house. She drops everything on the kitchen table when she notices Harley leaning over the kitchen sink, head in her arms, sobs shaking throughout her body.</p><p>“Harley?” She asks quietly. Harley just sniffs in response, and Ivy’s heart cracks at the sound. She’d let Jack shove a <em> million </em>grapes down her fucking throat if it meant she’d never have to see Harley cry like this again.</p><p>Ivy slowly makes her way over to Harley, and she squints as she leans against the counter next to her, the afternoon sun shining perfectly through the curtainless windows. She goes to rest her palm against Harley’s back and hesitates when Harley jumps at the touch. </p><p>“Is that okay?” She talks quietly, suddenly worried that anything louder than a whisper would be wrong.</p><p>Harley sniffs again. “Yeah.”</p><p>She starts rubbing circles across Harley’s back, a mix of smooth skin and sunscreen that never got a chance to wear off. They’re like that for a while until Harley’s breathing slows down and her sniffles start to die down. </p><p>“Are you okay?” Ivy asks. Harley takes a deep breath before responding, her head still ducked into her arms.</p><p>“I think-” She starts, “I think I just need to be alone right now.”</p><p>Ivy immediately shoots back. “No way, Harls.”</p><p>Harley shakes her head and Ivy’s hand comes to a stop on her back.</p><p>“Harley,” she says, softly. “Look at me.”</p><p>Harley shakes her head again and Ivy can’t be sure but she thinks she might be crying again.</p><p>“<em>Please. </em> Ivy-” Ivy frowns at the absence of her nickname. </p><p>“Harley, come on. You’re starting to worry me.”</p><p>“I just can’t-”</p><p>Harley cuts herself off with another sob.</p><p>“I’ve seen you cry like a million times. I don’t think there’s anything to be ashamed of at this point.” She tries to joke gently, but it backfires when Harley starts to cry harder. She starts to get a bad feeling in her gut, and is getting ready to plead with Harley again when her friend goes silent again, pushing herself up, Ivy’s hand sliding off her back as she braces her arms straight off of the sink. </p><p>Ivy’s grateful that Harley at least switched positions, until she tilts her head up just a smudge, and the peeping light catches Harley’s side profile, highlighting a bright red mark that’s now taken over her left cheek. Ivy could’ve mistaken it for sunburn if she didn’t know how much sunscreen Harley had actually put on.</p><p>“Harley, did he-” Ivy’s words get stuck in her mouth as her mind wanders. She knew Jack had a hot head, but she didn’t think he’d ever go <em> this </em>far.</p><p>“<em>Ives </em>, I-”</p><p>“Is this the first time he’s done it?” Ivy tries to search Harley’s face for the answer, but all Ivy can see is <em>red, </em>and it’s starting to look a lot like the shape of Jack’s palm.</p><p>Harley ignores the question, pushing off of the sink and turning around so that she’s leaning on her back. The red disappears and her right side profile comes into view. Ivy eyes the unmarred skin for a moment, unable to bring to words how anyone would even <em>dare </em>to harm someone as warm and welcoming as Harley. She’s never afraid to stand up in a fight, but she also knows when people deserve it and when people don’t. Harley <em>has </em>to know that she doesn’t deserve this.</p><p>She crosses her arms, eyes dropped to the tiled floor. Ivy almost misses it when Harley murmurs a soft, <em> No. </em></p><p>Ivy’s stomach twists at the answer.</p><p>“When did it start?”</p><p>Harley sighs, and her eyes dart up to the ceiling. Ivy thinks they’ve looked at every surface of the kitchen except at her.</p><p>“There was only one other time. It’s not-he’s not like that.” Harley pushes out, and Ivy isn’t sure who she’s trying to convince more.</p><p>“Harley..” Ivy’s voice drifts off.</p><p>“Ivy, please believe me. I-I know what it looks like, but he loves me, I promise.”</p><p>“Do you?”</p><p>Harley’s eyes shoot up, meeting Ivy’s for the first time since they’ve been in the kitchen.</p><p>“Do I what?”</p><p><em> Love him?</em>, Ivy thinks. Harley’s eyes are inquisitive, and Ivy lets herself believe for a moment that she wants Ivy to ask that question. To ask her to drop that shitty boy and just kiss <em>her</em>. But Ivy couldn’t do that. She cares about Harley too much to make her choose. She also cares about her too much to let that <em>shitty boy </em>make Harley feel like she deserves anything other than eternal bliss.</p><p>“Know what it looks like?” Ivy says instead.</p><p>Harley opens her mouth to speak, but falters. She looks away from Ivy, brows furrowed. </p><p>“I just,” Harley shakes her head, “Can we drop this for now?”</p><p>All logical parts of Ivy’s mind want to yell <em> No!</em>, but Harley looks so <em> sad </em>and Ivy would do anything ever asked of her to change that. </p><p>“Um..yeah,” Ivy says. “Want to watch a water fail compilation?”</p><p>“Oh my <em> god, </em>” Harley smiles wide, “Yes!”</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>The few days after, Ivy feels like they’re treading in uncharted waters, which they <em>are</em>, but she’s also the same Ivy and Harley’s the same Harley. If Harley wants to ignore what happened then Ivy isn’t really sure what else she can do other than be there for her for the day she decides not to ignore it. She hasn’t seen Jack yet, and she’s not really sure she wants to.</p><p>They’re in Harley’s bedroom, sprawled out on her giant bed doing their summer packets. They’ve miraculously been put in a majority of the same classes every year, but getting to spend senior year with Harley by her side will make it the best one yet, Ivy thinks.</p><p><em> If </em>they can make it past AP Art History.</p><p>“What the hell is a <em> ziggurat</em>?” </p><p>Ivy laughs as Harley squints at the paper in front of her, and she’d be lying if she didn’t say some of these terms felt like a practical joke. The only one they’ve recognized twenty pages in is <em>terracotta</em>, and that’s only because they live in Arizona.</p><p>“Is it on Selina’s packet?” Ivy watches as Harley check’s their friend’s generous donation to their GPA’s.</p><p>“She conveniently skipped that one.” Harley’s smirking and Ivy rolls her eyes playfully, huffing as she flips onto her back.</p><p>“I can’t do any more. My brain is fried.” </p><p>“Let’s take a break,” Harley says. Ivy listens to Harley’s notebook shut, the springs on the bed bouncing as she sits up. </p><p>Ivy’s about to close her eyes when Harley speaks.</p><p>“Can I do your makeup?”</p><p>A pained expression takes over Ivy’s face, and she rolls back around to face Harley.</p><p>“Do we <em> have </em> to?” Ivy <em>hates </em>makeup.</p><p>“Yes.” Harley lifts up her chin, an act of defiance, and Ivy tries to hold her ground, but fails. Very quickly, she might add.</p><p>“Fine.” </p><p>She doesn’t hate makeup as much as she loves Harley.</p><p>They put away their schoolwork and move to the floor, a pile of Harley’s eyeshadow palettes and lipglosses strewn haphazardly into a pile next to them. Ivy’s got her back against Harley’s bed, their faces close as tucked knees bounce off of one another. The clock on Harley’s desk reads <em> 5:23</em>, and the glistening haze of golden hour bounces so softly off of Harley’s hair that Ivy wishes she had her camera with her.</p><p>“Close your eyes.” </p><p>Ivy does as she’s told, and the soft strokes of Harley’s makeup brush tickle her eyelids. It's quiet, the only sounds coming when Harley hits the brush against the palette. The silence feels good on Ivy’s ears, but she finds herself missing the sound of Harley’s voice. </p><p>“What color are you doing?”</p><p>“Green,” Harley says. </p><p><em> Like Jack’s hair</em>, Ivy thinks.</p><p>“It’s always been your color,” Harley adds, and Ivy’s eyes flitter open. Harley freezes, the eyeshadow brush inches from Ivy’s face. </p><p>Silently, Harley sets down the brush and picks up a lip gloss bottle. Ivy recognizes the sheer pink as Harley’s favorite. She brings it everywhere. It smells like vanilla.</p><p>She brings it up to Ivy’s lips, and Ivy can feel her heart racing at how close they are now that her eyes are open. Harley’s gaze is plastered on Ivy’s lips, and Ivy wants to blush, but when Harley reaches behind her to grab a makeup wipe, her oversized t-shirt rides up and exposes a deep bruise on her side that her low rise shorts can’t cover. </p><p>Ivy watches Harley’s hand slowly pull the shirt back down, and when she looks back up, Harley’s watching her, an unreadable expression on her face. </p><p>Ivy stares into her best friend’s eyes and she doesn’t know when they started looking so dull. She thinks about the empty driveway just below them and the missing clothes in the master bedroom’s closet. She knows that love is different to Harley. That it's never been easy. Ivy wishes she could show Harley how easy it is to love her.</p><p>“Close your eyes again,” Harley says eventually. </p><p>She does. </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>harley (1:07 a.m.): <em> are you awake? </em></p><p>ivy (1:07 a.m.): <em> yeah, what’s up? </em></p><p>harley (1:07 a.m.): <em> do you want to go to a party tomorrow? </em></p><p>harley (1:08 a.m.): <em> well, today i guess </em></p><p>ivy (1:10 a.m.): <em> is jack going? </em></p><p>harley (1:10 a.m.) <em> it’s at his house </em></p><p>ivy (1:15 a.m.): <em> yeah sure </em></p><p>ivy (1:15 a.m.): <em> good night, harley </em></p><p>harley (1:15 a.m): <em> good night ivy </em></p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Ivy’s sitting on the couch in Jack’s living room, sandwiched between both him and Selina. The party’s starting to die down, and Jack’s bright green hair pops out between the billows of cigarette smoke he blows out of his mouth. It’s the first time Ivy’s seen him since his meltdown, but he didn’t show any hard feelings when she first got there. She watches as he passes the cigarette down to Harley. She’s sitting at the head of the coffee table and she hasn’t made eye contact with Ivy since they sat down.</p><p>She watches Harley take a small puff and then give it back to Jack. Ivy keeps her face neutral as Jack abruptly gets up, walking to the other side of the room where a group of guys Ivy doesn’t recognize are playing beer pong. Harley takes the chance to move onto the couch and she sinks into the fabric next to Ivy. Harley finally looks at her.</p><p>“I didn’t think you were gonna come,” Harley says. </p><p>Ivy’s not sure how to respond. She watches another group of people walk out of the room.</p><p>“I said I would.” She pushes out eventually.</p><p>“Yeah, well,” Harley ducks her head, and before she can say anymore, Jack is back and he pulls her off the couch, grabbing her waist and kissing her neck. Harley laughs awkwardly at first, and then her and Ivy lock eyes and suddenly she’s pushing him off of her.</p><p>“Lay off, Jack,” Harley says. They stare at each other for a few seconds before Harley mumbles under her breath, “I’m gonna go to the bathroom.”</p><p>Jack gapes as she walks away, sending a dirty look to Ivy before he goes back to playing beer pong. She sighs heavily, taking a sip out of the jungle juice in her cup. Ivy’s not much for day drinking, but really, this is too much tension for her liking.</p><p>“You know,” Ivy turns her head when Selina’s voice rings out, “I was a little surprised when she told me that they were dating.”</p><p>Ivy laughs half-heartedly at the sentiment, shifting her weight on the couch to face Selina.</p><p>“Yeah,” Ivy says. “Me too.” </p><p>“I thought you two were together, actually.”</p><p>Ivy’s cup-hand pauses mid air, and she eyes Selina, who rolls her own eyes in return. </p><p>“Don’t give me that look. You two hang over each other like a fuckin’ married couple or something.” </p><p>Ivy looks across the room to Jack. He throws the ping pong ball and it goes directly into the final cup. He and his friends start jumping around screaming. It’s Ivy’s turn to roll her eyes. </p><p>“She’s got her eyes somewhere else.”</p><p>“Well,” Selina stands up, shaking her empty cup, “You obviously haven’t seen the way she looks at you.”</p><p>Ivy watches her disappear into the kitchen, and Jack’s beer pong group split into different directions, most of them heading for the exit. Jack walks right past Ivy without looking at her, following Selina into the kitchen. Ivy heaves a deep breath. The air in the room is musky and whatever she’s been drinking is starting to make her tired. She pushes off the couch and starts down the back hallway, eyeing Jack’s old family photographs and the empty bedrooms. She thinks she remembers Harley saying they were moving his older brother into college this weekend, but she can’t be too sure. </p><p>She ends up in the back lounge room that faces the backyard and she spots Harley sitting alone by the pool. She opens the sliding door and walks through, closing it behind her. Harley doesn’t so much as flinch as she sits down next to her, dipping her legs into the pool. It was a colder summer day for the desert, and the cool temperature of the water sends goosebumps up her legs. She keeps her eyes on the water, watching the shadows of the clouds move across the pool liner. Harley rests her head on Ivy’s shoulder, and Ivy’s spine stiffens at the touch. They’re both silently staring ahead until she feels Harley start to angle her head slightly, and Ivy thinks she’s just readjusting until she looks down and Harley’s looking at her. She tries to ignore it but she feels Harley move <em>again </em>so she looks down and suddenly they’re so close.</p><p>Ivy looks into Harley’s eyes, searching for permission, for an answer, for any sign to tell her that <em>this is what she thinks it is</em>. </p><p>Her heart races when Harley picks her head up off of Ivy’s shoulder and it’s only a second before they’re leaning in and Ivy thinks that she’s never known such <em>bliss </em>until it’s not Harley’s lips against hers but a hard tug on her hair suddenly forcing her to the ground. </p><p>Her world goes blurry for a second and she can feel the burning sensation of split skin across her temple when her head comes into contact with a rock. She slowly rolls over and as her vision clears, she sees Jack towering over Harley.</p><p>“Are you fucking <em> kidding </em> me?” He shouts in her face, Harley’s head cowering, her eyes unable to meet his.</p><p>“With <em> her?,” </em>His screams get louder, if possible, “Of all fucking people!”</p><p>Ivy stands up and her head throbs so hard she thinks she might fall right back over. She refocuses on Harley and sees the fear in her eyes as Jack reaches out to grab her arm.</p><p>All Ivy sees is a flash of green as her palms push him as far away from Harley as she can. </p><p>“Don’t touch her like that!” Ivy shouts.</p><p>He stumbles but manages to keep his balance, and he sneers at Ivy as he rushes towards her.</p><p>“What the fuck are you gonna do about it, Isley?”</p><p>“I would go ballistic on your face but a <em> shitbag </em> like you isn’t even worth a bruised fist!”</p><p>She won’t stoop to his level. He gets closer to her face, a scoff escaping his mouth.</p><p>“You’re all talk. Why don’t you go take a photo of a tree or something.” He pokes her chest and laughs. He thinks he’s hot shit. Ivy has to squeeze her fists tight to stop from bashing his head in. She leans in even closer, her voice turning low as she steels her expression.</p><p>“If you ever touch her again, I will key your beamer so many times that they will have to replace the whole entire body.” Ivy lets out a small smirk as Jack’s nostrils flare, but somewhere deep down she feels sour that he cares more about his car than hurting Harley.</p><p>He stares into her eyes, and Ivy won’t lie and say she’s not nervous that he might punch her into next Tuesday right there and then.</p><p>“Dude, what’re you doing?”</p><p>Three heads turn to the sliding door to find one of Jack’s friends poking his head outside.</p><p>“We’re trying to start the game and you’re up first!”</p><p>Jack clenches his fists. “I’m coming!” He waits for the door to close again before turning back Ivy and Harley. He looks between both of them, his jaw clenching rapidly, and shakes his head. He turns around and starts stomping toward the door, pausing in his tracks to look back at Harley.</p><p>“Are you coming, Harley?” </p><p>He says it exasperatedly, as if this whole argument was a giant inconvenience for him. As if Harley is just <em>expected </em>to crawl after him. It makes Ivy’s blood boil.</p><p>She watches Harley hesitate, and then they meet eyes again. Harley looks back at Jack.</p><p>“No.” She says it quietly at first, and then again, more affirming. “No, I’m not.”</p><p>“What?” Jack looks legitimately surprised, “Harley, don’t be stupid. Come inside.”</p><p>“No, a-and don’t call me stupid, Jack. We’re done.” Harley nods to herself. “I don’t want to date you anymore.”</p><p>Jack’s face twists in anger and Ivy takes an instinctive step forward, but to her surprise he stays in his place. He looks at them like he’s waiting for Harley to change her mind, and when she doesn’t, he scoffs to himself.</p><p>“Un-<em>fucking</em>-believable.” He kicks a garden light away from the walkway and swiftly turns to the door shouting, “Get out of my backyard before I call the fucking cops.”</p><p>Ivy doesn’t realize how tense she is until the door slams shut, and she breathes out a heavy huff of air.</p><p>“Ivy-” Harley rushes to close the space between them.</p><p>“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” Ivy tries to give Harley a once over when she sees the fresh tears coating Harley’s eyes, but Harley ignores her question.</p><p>“Ivy, you’re bleeding,” Harley raises her hands to Ivy’s face and Ivy winces at her featherlight touch as Harley runs her thumb along the raised skin around the cut.</p><p>“I’m okay,” Ivy rushes out. She wraps her own arms around Harley. “Are you okay?”</p><p>“I-I think so,” Harley says. “I just-” She cuts herself off, unable to find the words.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Ivy’s heart sinks, and she prepares herself for Harley to change her mind, to go back inside and-</p><p><em> Vanilla. </em>Harley’s kissing her and it tastes like vanilla and everything good in the world. </p><p>They separate, foreheads against each other.</p><p>“Harley-” Ivy starts, but Harley interrupts her.</p><p>“Just, thank you for waiting for me.” </p><p>Ivy goes silent, searching her brain for the right words.</p><p>“I would <em> never </em>leave you.”</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Ivy’s eyes flutter open to the sound of her phone vibrating.</p><p> </p><p>harley (1:08 a.m.): <em> look over </em></p><p> </p><p>Ivy rolls over in her bed to find Harley looking at her with sleepy eyes.</p><p>“What’s up?” Ivy whispers.</p><p>Harley smiles mischievously.</p><p>“Can we meet up?”</p><p>“Shut up,” Ivy laughs, and moves closer to Harley, resting her head on Harley’s chest. As she closes her eyes, she feels Harley’s lips kiss the top of her head.</p><p>“Good night, Harley.”</p><p>“Good night, Ivy.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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